Oregon Humane Society stretched to care for record influx of dogs

 Here is the third article about the rescue of rat terriers in Oregon.  Look at those faces!  I wish I was rich because I would take them all and play with them.  This particular story has a relatively happy ending, thanks the the Humane Society.  Not all puppy mill puppies have any fairy godmother.

If you can do anything to help these adorable ratties, please respond to the address below.
If you want to adopt any of these babies, notify the Humane Society.
 
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By Lynne Terry, The Oregonian

December 10, 2009, 8:50PM

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Motoya Nakamura/The Oregonian 

Nearly 100 rat terriers were taken away from an overwhelmed breeder in Tillamook. These are 7-week-old puppies at the Oregon Humane Society.

To donate or adopt

Visit the Oregon Humane Society at 1067 N.E. Columbia Blvd. in Portland. The agency is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday. Adoption hours end 30 minutes before closing time. Call 503-285-7722 or visit the agency's Web site for more information.

The agency, which depends entirely on private donations, needs crates, long-shredded paper and cash contributions.

Dog adoption rates vary from about $85 to $300 depending on the age and health of the animal.

The Oregon Humane Society snapped into battle mode. Kennels were cleaned. Vaccines were lined up. Volunteers were called in, and staff stood ready with collars, leashes and paperwork in perhaps the agency's biggest influx of dogs in its 141-year-history.

This week, the organization in Northeast Portland took in about 185 dogs in two rescue operations. Big dogs, small dogs, puppies and 10-year-old dogs, friendly and frightened dogs arrived in vans stacked with carrying crates. They were whisked inside, weighed, given shots and examined for obvious medical problems. Each was named, given a collar and trotted to clean kennels with food and water awaiting.

These dogs, which had been chained up, crammed into cages and left in the bitter cold, have never had it so good.

But the intake of so many animals in such a short period has taken a toll on the humane society.

"There's a lot of exhausted people here today," Sharon Harmon, the nonprofit's executive director, said Thursday.

Half of the humane society's canine capacity is now filled with dogs from the two rescues. Nearly 100 rat terriers came from an overwhelmed breeder in Tillamook, who was living in a trailer while dogs overran her barn and house, the kitchen covered in feces.

"She didn't have the time, resources or money to care for these rat terriers," said David Lytle, spokesman for the humane society.

The rest of the dogs came from a property about 20 miles south of Burns in Harney County. A couple, now facing allegations of animal neglect, kept the dogs in subfreezing temperatures outside, some of them penned up and others tied to posts and farm equipment. Mostly border collie, Australian shepherd and Shiba Inu mixes, they were fed cattle carcasses that the couple obtained from a meat processing plant.

Fortunately, most of the dogs from the two rescues are in good health.

On Thursday, smock-clad vets, veterinary technicians and veterinary students from Oregon State University scrambled in three surgical suites, spaying and neutering rat terriers.

"It's been all hands on deck," said Kris Otteman, medical staff director. "We did more surgeries yesterday than we've ever done."

The total count: 88 operations, with dozens more under way Thursday.

At least 50 of the rat terriers will be ready for adoption this morning when the shelter opens at 10 a.m.

With the rat terriers spayed and neutered, the staff will work through the dogs from Harney County, which could go up for adoption Tuesday.

The sooner they find homes, the better, Lytle said.

"There's a strain and stress if the animals are not adopted," he said. "There's a stress on the animal, and there's a stress on the budget."

Each dog costs the shelter $22 a day. That might not sound like much, but the bill quickly adds up. In March, the humane society rescued 126 dogs from a breeder in Burns. Caring for them cost about $140,000, and the agency could spend $200,000 on the rescues this week.

Lytle hopes the animals will be adopted quickly. Some, including a 3-year-old yellow Lab named Tonka and a 7-year-old German shepherd mix, Wolverine, have immediate appeal. The two dogs, who came from Harney County, wagged madly at visitors, playfully jostling for attention.

But other dogs, which crouched fearfully in their kennels, might have more trouble finding homes.

Besides ensuring that the dogs are in good health, each one is evaluated according to its temperament. A "green" rating means the dog is suitable for the whole family. "Yellow" indicates a dog that would thrive best with an adult or older children.

The agency tries to match each dog with the right owner.

The Harney County dogs are mid-sized and range from a few months old to about 10 years. Many appear to have easygoing personalities.

The rat terriers vary in age as well and include puppies that were born this week. Although short-haired small dogs, weighing 10 to 15 pounds, they burst with big personalities.

"Terriers are not poodles," said Sandra Farnsworth, customer care manager. "They're aloof, independent and dominant. The owner needs to understand the terrier breed."

In a good home, she says, they will turn into "snuggle bunnies" that will love your lap and burrow under your covers.

They will keep your property rodent-free as well.

Both the rat terriers and the Harney County dogs need to be housebroken and trained, and owners have to pay an adoption fee of $85 to $300 depending on the dog.

Prospective owners started showing up Thursday morning along with donors answering an appeal for cash and supplies.

Aram Cartozian, a 60-year-old sound engineer and animal lover in Portland, brought in five bags of dog food.

"I love animals," Cartozian said. "They rely on us to take care of them, and when people treat them like that and they're rescued, I want to reach out and help."

-- Lynne Terry 

Go here to read the original article and see related posts.

Tillamook Breeder Surrenders Nearly 100 Dogs to OHS

Here's a follow up on the posting from yesterday.  This is about the rat terriers that were surrendered.  This is a terrible thing.  I know that this person really loved these animals, but everyone needs to understand that there is a limit to the number of animals you can actually take care of.  Love is not just food.

If you can help, these little dogs would really love you for it.

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Help Needed: Rescued animals need these supplies: Puppy food Large crates Shredded paper Towels Monetary Donations
OHS volunteer Julie Honse lends a hand as the Tillamook dogs arrive at OHS.
One of the many rat terriers surrendered; seen here with Patty Melnichuk of OHS.

Dec. 8, 2009:  A Tillamook dog breeder today surrendered 118 dogs to the Oregon Humane Society, following a lengthy investigation by OHS and the Tillamook County Sheriff.

98 dogs, almost all of them rat terriers, are arriving this afternoon and this evening at the OHS Shelter at 1067 NE Columbia Blvd. in Portland. The dogs will be available for adoption after they are spayed/neutered and get a clean bill of health from the OHS medical team.

Another 20 dogs were also taken from the breeder and will be offered for adoption through other organizations.

"The dogs were living in terribly overcrowded and unsanitary conditions with limited access to food and water," said Dr. Kris Otteman, OHS medical director.

The owner was charged with animal neglect by OHS Humane Investigators and relinquished ownership of the dogs to OHS.

OHS, working in concert with Tillamook County’s Sheriff, responded to years of complaints about the residence. When the owner made the decision to surrender the animals today, the Tillamook Sheriff's office and Tillamook Animal Control department provided vehicles and staff to transport the animals to Portland and assist with their processing. Also Tillamook Animal Shelter was instrumental in helping with this case and took in 20 of the dogs.

The Tillamook rescue is not related a second rescue now happening in Harney County (details here).

Monetary Donations Needed

OHS relies entirely on private donations to to rescue neglected and abused animals.

You can fight animal neglect and abuse by making a online donation to the OHS Animal Rescue and Investigations Fund.

Here is a video of the dogs arriving at OHS today.

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Humane society rescues 100 dogs in eastern Oregon

 This kind of "hoarding" has got to stop.  As a psychiatric nurse, I understand the compulsion these people may have felt and the obsession they had with collecting more dogs, but these are living, breathing, feeling beings--not things.  Animal abuse is animal abuse, period.  Please help stop such terrible abuse.  If you know of any animal that is being abused, please report it.  An investigation may or may not support your claim, but at least you will have tried to help.  Dogs, cats, other animals cannot speak for themselves and depend on us to provide safe and secure living conditions.  Don't we owe them the respect we would want given to our own loved pets?


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December 08, 2009, 8:14PM


A suspected case of dog hoarding has turned into one of the largest cases of animal neglect in state history, the Oregon Humane Society said Tuesday.

The case involves about 100 dogs on a sprawling, desolate piece of property about 20 miles south of Burns.

David Lytle, spokesman for the Oregon Human Society, said the dogs were living without shelter in icy conditions, surrounded by cattle bones gnawed clean.

The dog owners, who live in trailers on the property, fed them carcasses from a local meat processing plant.

"The whole property was scattered with the carcasses," Lytle said. "I've never seen anything like it."

A couple and another woman living on the property were arrested by Harney County Sheriff Dave Glerup on suspicion of animal neglect.

Glerup said the couple -- 43-year-old Ronald Steven Anderson and Anita Darlene Anderson, 55 -- and 34-year-old Kathlean Fuchs-Goyogana,  34, agreed to give up the dogs and were released on their own recognizance.

Glerup said the couple has lived on the property on Frenchglen highway for more than a decade and are currently unemployed. The property is owned by a woman who used to live in the area but moved near Joseph after her husband died. Glerup said the Andersons sublet to Fuchs-Goyogana, who has a 9-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl.

A friend of the girl's sparked the investigation, telling her mother about conditions on the property. The mother called the Department of Human Services, which in turn called the Harney County Sheriff's Office.

Glerup said Fuchs-Goyogana agreed to take her kids off the property. She is currently under investigation for child neglect, he said.

As for the dogs, most of them are border collie, Shiba Inu and Australian shepherd mixes. Lytle did not see any obvious injuries, though he said some had nails so long they were curled over and growing into their paws. But he said the dogs did not appear to be malnourished.

"I would call this a hoarding case," he said. "The woman was very attached to a lot of the dogs."

This is the second large animal rescue from Harney County this year. In March, sheriff's officials and the humane society rescued 131 dogs from breeder Ted Tellefson, who had dogs chained, in house trailers and roaming on his property in Burns.

This latest rescue also involved dogs stuck outside without shelter. With temperatures plunging to 11 degrees below zero Monday night, officials found dogs tied to posts and farm equipment or trapped in a wire pen. Several small dogs had sought shelter by digging a hole below a few wooden planks.

"When we came by, they popped their heads up out of the ground like prairie dogs," Lytle said.

He spotted the carcass of one dead dog on an oil drum.

On Monday, Lytle and two other people from the humane society rescued 14 dogs, including a mother and four 1-week-old pups, and brought them back to the agency's headquarters in Portland.

A second humane society crew left Tuesday in three vans to bring back as many dogs as possible.

The first group should arrive at the humane society on Wednesday to very full shelter. On Tuesday, the agency was rescuing at least 70 rat terriers from an overwhelmed breeder in Tillamook.

Lytle said the agency's investigators had been talking to the woman for a long time, trying to persuade her to give up the terriers.

Dogs from the two rescues will take up half of the agency's kennels at its headquarters in Portland.

"Fortunately, a lot of the dogs are small dogs so we can put several in the same kennel," Lytle said.

But the humane society said it needs donations of puppy food, large crates, shredded paper and cash as officials scramble to care for the dogs.

The dogs will be examined, given medication and neutered to prepare for adoption.

"Our medical staff is going to be very busy over the next few days," Lytle said.

To read the original article>>click here

-- Lynne Terry

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Look at Austen now!

Who would have thought that underneath all that curly hair was such a cute dog?  I know I would never have guessed. 

I guess I should back up and start at the beginning.  Today, we took Austen to the "pretty parlor" to get him all "gussied" up for the holidays.  My sister was determined that he would get his nails painted red and get a haircut, so she made the appointment.  I simply wanted him neatened up and clean.

Anyway, we took him in this afternoon and left him there.  He was really quite happy to be there which surprised me and he happily went away with the little lady in the front.

Two and a half hours later, we picked up another dog!  He was beautiful and smelled so good.  He did not get his nails painted (no one told my sister she had to bring her own polish with him to get that done) but he did get a snappy bandana tied around his neck.

He came in and started playing with my Satchmo.  Satch, on the other hand, was not quite sure about the changes in Austen.  Satch had to sniff and sniff and sniff him before he was sure he could relax and play with this funny looking sissy dog!

Here are the pictures I took when we got home.  All in all, this has been a pretty good day.

How to Pet Proof Your Home for the Holidays

Image by jessie.whittle via Flickr

With Christmas fast approaching, I would like to present an article I found on the Petco website about your pets and the holidays.  Most of this information is simply common sense, but for new pet owners knowing this may mean the difference between a happy or a sad holiday.

Some people believe that giving or getting a pet for Christmas is a good idea.  Maybe or maybe not.  It could be a good idea if the purchase of the pet has been well thought out and planned.  Getting a pet is a commitment of 15 or more years and should not happen on a whim.

All the holiday decorations and activity can be fun, but for your pets this time of year may be confusing and frightening.  Pets are exposed to new people in their home and lots of noise and movement.  Please think about your pet's welfare during this holiday season and let's all have a Merry Christmas!


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The bright colors and intoxicating scents of the holiday season are enough to transform any moping mutt or cranky cat from melancholy to downright jolly. Unfortunately, many of the delights and decorations of the holidays pose significant risks to companion animals.

PETCO offers the following safety tips on keeping pets safe and healthy for many holidays to come.

Christmas Trees. Pine needles can lodge in an animal's esophagus, making it difficult or impossible for your pet to swallow. Even drinking water from the Christmas tree base is enough to cause diarrhea, mouth sores, vomiting and loss of appetite. Cover your tree stand tightly with skirting and distract your companion animal from temptations with holiday toys and treats.

Deck the Halls. A bunch of fresh mistletoe may be a symbol of love, but to your curious cat or canine, tempting red berries look more like a sweet treat. Eating the leaves and berries could cause a drop in blood pressure. Ivy can cause diarrhea, convulsions and in some cases even death when eaten in large quantities. Holly, poinsettias and other plants are best kept away from inquisitive companion animals.

Tinsel and Lights. A flickering flame and shiny decorations intrigue companion animals. When lighting and once lit, the Menorah, Advent wreath or decorative candles, keep pets in another room where paws and claws can't reach them. With electrical lights, remember to tape exposed electrical cords to walls or the floor to ensure no chewing or tripping. Also use bitter training aids that impart a bitter taste to an object to discourage your pet from chewing on dangerous cords. Tinsel and gift-wrap may look like fun toys but they can cause choking, upset stomach or even more serious problems.

Visions of Sugar Plums. Dogs may love to sniff your holiday goodies but theobromine, an ingredient found in chocolate, is toxic. Don't ever offer dogs chocolate as a treat. If your dog develops a sweet tooth and discovers an improperly stored stash, it could lead to tragedy. Keep dogs' jaws busy with holiday rawhide candy canes and oversized bones. If he or she shows signs of illness such as vomiting, loss of appetite, or excessive water intake, contact your veterinarian immediately. Proper nutrition and plenty of fresh water are essential to your companion animal's winter health.

Let it Snow. Pets, especially very young and older animals, can suffer stress, frostbite and hypothermia when their body temperature drops just a few degrees below normal. The tips of the ears, feet and tail are commonly affected areas. Watch for the formation of ice balls between your companion animal's toes and regularly trim the long hair between the footpads to avoid frostbitten feet. If you suspect frostbite, do not rub the area but simply apply warm moist cloth packs and contact your veterinarian.

Antifreeze Alert. Automotive antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which causes rapid and permanent kidney damage to your companion animal if it ingests even a very small amount. It takes only 6 milliliters or less than 1/4 ounce of antifreeze to kill an average-sized cat. A cat can walk through an antifreeze puddle and ingest it while cleaning its paws. For a dog, it takes only 60 milliliters or about 2 ounces of antifreeze to kill a 30-pound pup. A dog could ingest this much with a few laps out of an open container or from a puddle on the garage floor.

Home for the Holidays. If your pet cannot be in the house with you, a proper shelter can be a lifesaver for a chilly dog or feline. When selecting a doghouse or shelter for your cat, the space should be only as large as necessary for the animal to maneuver comfortably, since the animal's own body heat will serve as a heater. You will have one chilled Chihuahua if he or she is hanging out of a Doberman-sized doghouse. Nitrogen plastic insulated pet house work well to keep the heat inside the house with the animal. Some houses even have an offset door that provides additional protection of your companion animals from winter drafts.

Remember, the best present you can give your pets this holiday season is good health and some extra love and attention.

You can read this article and others about pet care here

Brody needs some help! Will you give it?

Here's and article about a little rattie named Brody.  Brody was thrown out of the window of a moving car and ended up with two broken front legs (see the xray below).  He was rescued from his shelter and placed in a foster home by Ratbone Rescues.  Unfortunately, the first attempt to repair his legs is unsuccessful and he will now need another surgery.  The cost for the surgery is around $2000.00, but after completed Brody should be just like new!





Here's where you and your help come in.
Brody after he was picked up by a Ratbone volunteer. At this point his legs were not set correctly so he was in pain.

This was his legs UNDER the casts. No wonder he was grumpy and didn't want to be touched.

Now he has cleaned up skin and padding under the casts. He is now friendly and smells good. If that little change made him happy, imagine how happy he will be after the surgery!


This is from the original posting I found online at "two humans, three dogs, and a cat":




Brody's surgery will cost $2,000 and will be worth every penny to make this little fellow healthy and whole again. Of course, that's a lot of money for a little homeless dog, so here's where we need more of those kind souls; those who might be willing to make a small donation towards his surgery. After hearing Brody's story, several of us are taking him on as our Christmas project. (Note: We are not associated with Ratbone Rescues, other than to be supporters of and contributors to their cause to save Rat Terriers who are in danger. Also, we are not fundraisers. We are just people who care and want to help.)

What better way to show the Love of the Season than to help a little dog like Brody. Let's prove to Brody that the human race is full of kind and caring people! Let's show those awful people who mistreated this little guy that they will not win, but that Love wins each and every time! Will you help?


If you wish to make a donation to help Cody Brody with his surgery, there are two ways to do so. You may make a donation through the Ratbone Rescues website:
http://www.ratbonerescues.com/ or by “snail mail” to Ratbone Rescues, P.O. Box 3237, Seminole, Florida 33775-3237. Please note that the contribution is for Cody Brody's surgery.

Thank you all and God bless us everyone!

Okay, here are the final results of the Vet hunt!

Yesterday I got to looking at the "growth" on Satch's leg and decided I really had to do something about it.  I spoke to my neighbors with the Corgi and got the name of their vet.  I called and they gave me a same day appointment.

Somewhat reservedly, I went to see this vet.  First, let me say, the place is a long way from my home, but first impressions were great.  It is located in a lovely two-story house type structure and had lovely gardens and statuaries all around.  They also had a stand with baggies and a trash receptacle in the yard.  That was good because Satch's first impulse when faced with a vet's office is to poop!

Anyway, after cleaning up after him, we went into the foyer.  Satch immediately eyed the Doggie Butler standing by the door with a tray of homemade dog treats and begged for one.  So I gave him a treat and he proceeded to carry it around in his mouth the entire time we were there.

The staff and the vet were wonderful, I felt that they actually heard my concerns and wanted to address them in a way that would be beneficial for my Satch.  The vet did a needle biopsy to see if the growth needed to be removed immediately or if it could wait until after the holidays.  She came back with the good news that this was the human equivalent of a mole and she saw no reason I could not wait until next month to have it removed.

I did get an estimate for cleaning his teeth, but I had to ask for it.  All the vet said was, "Yes, he does seem to have some tooth and mouth issues that you will need to think about addressing soon."  Her estimate included not only the cleaning but also the surgical removal of this nasty growth and the total was only $453.00.  You can bet I will make that appointment after Christmas.

So, finally we have a vet we seem to both like and my little man will get the care he deserves!